I ventured into the world of Thistle Grove recently, by way of Lana Harper's Witches of Thistle Grove series. I started with Payback's a Witch, then From Bad to Cursed, followed by Back in a Spell (my stand-out favorite of the series) before landing on my recent advanced copy of In Charm's Way.
In Charm's Way follows Delilah, who after a spoiler-filled incident, is left grappling with severe memory loss, PTSD, and having to work in close proximity with the person who caused all of the above. All of the town's best healers and scholars have tried, and failed, to find cures and solutions for Delilah's problems, to no avail. One night, desperate to regain some of the normalcy she so desperately misses, she casts a spell from a very old, very sinister grimoire. To her amazement, it works! Her brain is back to working at full capacity and she hasn't ever felt better--until random cryptids start attacking her. These attacks also bring to town a mysterious stranger, Cat, who just so happens to be a self-proclaimed "monster hunter," one who is fully capable and totally prepared to protect Delilah at all costs. But, is this sudden appearance too good to be true?
I have to be honest, In Charm's Way was probably my least favorite of the Witches of Thistle Grove series so far. I just didn't feel a connection to any of the main characters, Delilah or Cat. I felt that the relationship between the two of them was incredibly rushed, and I felt myself losing patience with Delilah quite frequently. She felt like a petulant child that needed to be put in time out, to actually think about her actions and the consequences that they may have before rushing into decisions. While Lana Harper's quick wit will always find ways to crack me up, I felt like this story was written in a rush--the plot was predictable very early on, so the "twist" wasn't at all shocking. I also had a lot of issues with the ending. (Skip to the next paragraph to avoid spoilers, the next few sentences of this paragraph will have spoilers!) I would have respected Delilah as a character more had she not forgiven Cat for the betrayal when Cat came back to Thistle Grove after weeks. Sometimes, there isn't a happily ever after with someone you had a spark with. Sometimes, you have to choose yourself, and your family, and let that flame stay in the past--especially when they've proven that their motives from the start weren't genuine, and even when they admit to the deceit, they still take from you.
Are you ready for a link party? Because goodness, I have a ton!
Before reading In Charm's Way, you should read:
Payback's a Witch here or here,
From Bad to Cursed here or here, and
Back in a Spell here or here (this one you MUST read before In Charm's Way. The others can be read out of order, but I don't recommend it).
If you'd like to preorder In Charm's Way by Lana Harper before its release on August 22, you can do so here or here!
Love and ley lines,
Mandy
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and have voluntarily written this review with my honest feedback. If you purchase a copy using my Bookshop.org affiliate links above, I will receive a small commission and you'll support local indies! If you purchase a copy using my Amazon affiliate links above, I will receive a small commission which I will use to justify my literary addictions and to spoil my dogs (probably).
